1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hook type hangers, and more specifically, but not limited to, hooks, hangers, and accessories used in audio recording and video production studios, television and radio broadcast facilities, music libraries, audiophile listening rooms, home recording studios, and generally anywhere common monophonic or stereophonic audio headphones and related connecting cables are used.
2. Prior Art
In most, if not all, audio and video production and broadcast facilities, music libraries, and home recording studios, common audio headphones are used to monitor audio program material for the purposes of critical aural inspection. Also, in live recording studios where the separation of sound sources is critical, in order to facilitate the monitoring of audio program material, monophonic and/or stereophonic headphones are a necessity. During the act of recording or taping, while critical listening or aural monitoring is taking place, audio headphones are usually worn by the recording artists and technicians; however, in the interim or interims between recording takes and during breaks, while said headphones are temporarily not being used or worn by the artists and technicians, they are subject to unnecessary wear and tear and the headphone's useable life is reduced prematurely due to excess stress and physical abuse caused by the lack of a suitable place to temporarily rest the headphones until again needed. In current practice, when said headphones are temporarily not in use, they are usually placed on a chair, table, music stand, or more commonly, the floor. However, audio headphones are designed and manufactured to hang from a support strap and when laid on a flat surface such as a table, chair, or the floor, are subject to stress and flexing which causes unnecessary wear on the hinges and connections of the suspension strap and the speaker cups. Furthermore, and in many cases, while lying on the floor, said headphones are negligently trampled or stepped on and broken.
There are many hook types and clamp types such as the "Double Hooked Utility Hanger with Hanger Suspension Hole" Wolf U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,957,259, the "Hanger for Hanging Fabric" Berkowitz 4,193,504, the "Double Locking Snap Hook" Casebolt 4,997,647, the "Suction Cup having an Offset-Mounted Hook" Adams 5,078,356, the "Portable Apparatus for Holding Objects" Hoffman 4,903,929, the "Interconnected C-Clamps and Tensioning Means Therefor" Yang 4,747,590, the "Intravenous Pole Holder" LeBlanc and LeBlanc 4,190,224, the "Hose Holder" Eross 3,747,166, and various permanent and semipermanent coat, garment, and utility hangers which may be adaptable for the long-term storage of audio headphones. However, no device is known which is: (1) of the correct size and shape so as to properly suspend, without damage, a common set of audio headphones and associated electronic cables; (2) is portable, convenient and easy to use, and requiring no specific tools will temporarily attach to and remove from a microphone and/or music stand, or other common fixture in an audio recording studio, radio broadcast station, television/video production facility, home recording studio, or anywhere audio headphones are used; and (3) will allow for a large variety of support and suspension configurations by allowing said headphones to hang or suspend properly while the hook device itself is or may be employed at many directions or angles which might be necessary in order to facilitate easy and convenient use. In addition, no device is known which is easily adaptable and will accomplish the above stated objectives.